Warriors: Forgotten Secrets: Breaking Storm
by Kitty Still Bites
Summary: Before there was three there was five... The Dark Forest never forgets, it always remembers. And with every generation there are those cats destined to stop them.
1. Allegiances

**DISCLAIMER: ****No, I do not own Warriors, and I will never claim to own them. They belong to the Hunters. These characters however, I do own, and any similarities as far as warrior names go and how they match up with other fanfics are purely coincidental. I apologize if the names match up with any of the names you came up with. **

**FULL SUMMARY: **

_**Before there was three, there was five…**_

_**Many moons before Firestar left his kittypet home, seasons before the clans traveled to the lake territories, generations before the three were born…**_

_**StarClan has always been reserved for the good cats with light in their hearts. The ones who were assets to their clans…**_

_**The Dark Forest, The Place of No Stars, has always been reserved for the evil cats with darkness in their hearts. The ones that threatened others and took life without cause…**_

_**For as long as the clans have existed, so has StarClan and The Place of No Stars. And for long as they have existed, the Dark Forest has been a constant threat, always choosing cats to fight for their cause. They are always watching and they never forget. The clans however do forget, and any threat from the past is often lost in time. The Dark Forest has threatened the clans many different times over many generations, and they are always forgotten. **_

_**This time is no different. They have learned from their mistakes and they are fully prepared to destroy the clans. And it is up to five cats to stop them…**_

**ALLEGIANCES**

**SHADOWCLAN**

**LEADER**: Stonestar- elderly pale gray tom with a white-streaked muzzle and pale blue eyes; father of Sandpath and Rockclaw

**DEPUTY**: Rockclaw- huge pale gray tom with pale blue eyes; Squirreltail's mate; Sandpath's littermate

**MEDICINE CAT**: Honeybreeze- golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes and a badly torn ear; Goldensun's littermate; partially deaf

**WARRIORS: **_(toms and she-cats without kits)_

Squirreltail- long-haired fluffy light brown she-cat with a white muzzle, underbelly, and paws and amber eyes; Rockclaw's mate; Longfur and Timberfall's littermate

Apprentice; Willowpaw

Longfur- large light-brown tom with long, thick fur and a white underbelly and amber eyes; father of Lizardfang's kits; Squirreltail and Timberfall's littermate

Apprentice, Birchpaw

Timberfall- large dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes; father of Birchpaw and Volepaw

Goldensun- large golden tabby tom with amber eyes; father of Willowpaw, Sunpaw, and Amberpaw; Robinsong's mate; Honeybreeze's littermate

Robinsong- dark tortoiseshell-she-cat with a distinctive dappled pelt and dark blue eyes; mother of Willowpaw, Sunpaw, and Amberpaw; Goldensun's mate; Swallowfeather and Sparrowflight's littermate

Sparrowflight- skinny dark brown tom with black tabby stripes and dark blue eyes; father of Sandpath's kits; Robingsong and Swallowfeather's littermate

Apprentice, Amberpaw

Beetlewing- small black tom with amber eyes; Lizardfang and Sloepelt's littermate

Sloepelt- large black tom with amber eyes; father of Doveheart's kits; Lizardfang and Beetlewing's littermate

Swiftclaw- pale gray, almost white, tom with blue eyes; Tawnywing's mate; Doveheart's littermate

Tawnywing- golden-brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes; Swiftclaw's mate

Apprentice, Sunpaw

Minnowtail- sleek black she-cat with blue eyes; mother of Lizardfang, Beetlewing, and Sloepelt; former RiverClan she-cat; Dustclaw's mate

Dustclaw- large dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes; father of Lizardfang, Beetlewing, and Sloepelt; Minnowtail's mate; Twigtail's littermate

Apprentice, Volepaw

Twigtail- large brown tabby tom with a bent tail and amber eyes; father of Robinsong, Sparrowflight, and Swallowfeather

**APPRENTICES:** _(over six moons old, in training to become warriors)_

Birchpaw- large dark brown tom with amber eyes; Volepaw's littermate

Volepaw- large pale gray tabby tom with green eyes; Birchpaw's littermate

Willowpaw- slender dark tortoiseshell she-cat with a distinctive dappled pelt and dark blue eyes; Sunpaw and Amberpaw's littermate

Sunpaw- large golden tabby tom with amber eyes; Willowpaw and Amberpaw's littermates

Amberpaw- slender golden she-cat with creamy tabby stripes and amber eyes; Willowpaw and Sunpaw's littermate

**QUEENS: **_(she-cats expecting or nursing kits)_

Sandpath- pale ginger she-cat with green eyes; mother of Ryekit and Aspenkit; Sparrowflight's mate; Rockclaw's littermate

Lizardfang- black she-cat with green eyes; mother of Black-kit, Snakekit, and Yewkit; Longfur's former mate; Beetlewing and Sloepelt's littermate

Swallowfeather- heavily pregnant tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes; Robingsong and Sparrowflight's littermate

Doveheart- small white she-cat with blue eyes; mother of Frogkit, Birdkit, and PlumSIkit, Sloepelt's mate; Swiftclaw's littermate

**KITS:** _(under six moons old)_

Ryekit- dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes; (very close to being apprenticed), Aspenkit's littermate

Aspenkit- pale ginger she-cat with green eyes; (very close to being apprenticed), Ryekit's littermate

Black-kit- black tom with green eyes; three moons old; Snakekit and Yewkit's littermate

Snakekit- black tom with green eyes; three moons old; Black-kit and Yewkit's littermate

Yewkit- long-haired fluffy light brown she-cat with a white muzzle underbelly and paws and amber eyes; Black-kit and Snakekit's littermate

Frogkit- dark gray tom with amber eyes; one moon old; Birdkit and Plumkit's littermate

Birdkit- white she-cat with blue eyes; one moon old; Frogkit and Plumkit's littermate

Plumkit- black she-cat with blue eyes; one moon old; Frogkit and Birdkit's littermate

**ELDERS:** _(former warriors and queens, now retired)_

Lionfur- large golden tabby tom with amber eyes; father of Honeybreeze and Goldensun

**THUNDERCLAN**

**LEADER**: Silverstar- slender silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes; mother of Patchpaw and Brightpaw; Badgerheart's mate

**DEPUTY:** Badgerheart- massive black-and-white tom with yellow eyes; father of Patchpaw and Brightpaw; Silverstar's mate; Fledglingfur's littermate

**MEDICINE CAT:** Fledglingfur- black-and-white tom with long, soft fur and pale amber eyes; Badgerheart's littermate

**WARRIORS:**

Snowtail- small white she-cat with blue eyes; Hazelwing's littermate; Oakfang's mate

Apprentice, Batpaw

Oakfang- large reddish-brown tom with amber eyes; Snowtail's mate; Brackenridge and Leaftail's littermate

Apprentice, Marshpaw

Brackenridge- large reddish-brown tom with amber eyes; father of Batpaw and Marshpaw; Ravenfeather's mate; Oakfang and Leaftail's littermate

Leaftail- slender reddish-brown she-cat with amber eyes; Flintclaw's mate; Oakfang and Brackenridge's littermate

Apprentice, Brightpaw

Ravenfeather- slender black she-cat with green eyes; mother of Batpaw and Marshpaw, Brackenridge's mate; Fawnflight's littermate

Flinctclaw- dark gray, almost black, tom with blue eyes; Leaftail's mate; Ashwhisker and Darkwater's littermate

Apprentice, Patchpaw

Ashwhisker- dark gray, almost black, tom with blue eyes; father of Hazelwing's kits; Flintclaw and Darkwater's littermate

Darkwater- dark gray, almost black, she-cat with blue eyes; Mottledpelt's mate

Mottledpelt- mottled brown tom with amber eyes; Darkwater's mate, former rogue

Apprentice, Patchpaw

**APPRENTICES:**

Patchpaw- black-and-white tom with blue eyes; Brightpaw's littermate

Brightpaw- silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes; Patchpaw's littermate

Batpaw- skinny black tom with large ears and gray eyes; Marshpaw's littermate

Marshpaw- reddish-brown she-cat with amber eyes; Batpaw's littermate

**QUEENS:**

Hazelwing- very pale ginger-and-white she-cat with amber eyes; mother of Burntkit and Wolfkit; Ashwhisker's mate; Snowtail's littermate

Fawnflight- heaily pregnant light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

**KITS:**

Burtnkit- dark gray tom with blue eyes, four moons old; Wolfkit's littermate

Wolfkit- dark gray tom with blue eyes, four moons old; Burntkit's littermate

**ELDERS:**

There are no elders at the time.

**WINDCLAN**

**LEADER**: Smokestar- large, broad-shouldered smokey black tom with amber eyes, father of Ebonytail, Slatefur, Nightbird, and Cinderwhisker, Sunblossom's mate; Sootwhisker's littermate; trained as a tunnler

**DEPUTY:** Haretail- long-legged, short-tailed light brown tom with a white underbelly and amber eyes; father of Meadowshine's kits; Runningrabbit's littermate; trained as a moor-runner

**MEDICINE CAT:** Blackstripe- dark gray tom with a black stripe from nose to tail-tip, green eyes; Ripplepelt's littermate

**WARRIORS:**

Sootwhisker- large dark gray tom with amber eyes; father of Daisywhisker's kits; Smokestar's littermate; tunnler

Sunblossom- bright ginger she-cat with blue eyes; mother of Ebonytail, Slatefur, Nightbird, and Cinderwhisker; Smokestar's mate; Blazeheart's littermate; moor-runner

Apprentice, Specklepaw

Blazeheart- large bright ginger tom with blue eyes; father of Specklepaw and Spottedpaw; Cloverstem's mate; Sunblossom's littermate; moor-runner

Slatefur- large broad-shouldered smokey black tom with blue eyes; Ebonytail, Nightbird and Cinderwhisker's littermate; tunnler

Nightbird- slender black she-cat with blue eyes; Ebonytail, Slatefur and Cinderwhisker's littermate; moor-runner

Cinderwhisker- dark gray, almost black, tom with blue eyes; father of Nettletail's unborn kits; Ebonytail, Slatefur and Nightbird's littermate; moor-runner

Apprentice, Reedpaw

Runningrabbit- light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes; Haretail's littermate; moor-runner

Apprentice, Spottedpaw

Ripplepelt- dark gray tom with a black stripe from nose to tail-tip, green eyes; father of Reedpaw, Greencloud's mate; Blackstripe's littermate; tunnler

Cloverstem- light brown she-cat with darker flecks and amber eyes; mother of Specklepaw and Spottedpaw; Blazeheart's mate; moor-runner

Frecklenose- light brown she-cat with darker flecks and amber eyes; mother of Cloverstem; Thistlefur's mate; moor-runner

Thistlefur- large ginger tom with spikey fur and blue eyes; father of Cloverstem; Frecklenose's mate; tunnler

Greencloud- white she-cat with bright green eyes; Ripplepelt's mate; mother of Reedpaw; tunnler

**APPRENTICES:**

Specklepaw- light brown she-cat with darker flecks and amber eyes; Spottedpaw's littermate; training to be a moor-runner

Spottedpaw- light brown she-cat with darker flecks and amber eyes; Specklepaw's littermate; training to be a moor-runner

Reedpaw- dark gray tom with black tabby stripes and green eyes; training to be a tunnler

**QUEENS:**

Meadowshine- white she-cat with tortoiseshell splotches and pale green eyes; mother of Cricketkit and Dustkit; Haretail's mate; trained as a moor-runner

Daisycloud- creamy brown she-cat with a white underbelly and amber eyes; mother of Graykit, Briarkit, and Thrushkit; Sootwhisker's mate; trained as a tunnler

Nettletail- small orange she-cat with yellow tabby stripes and green eyes; expecting Cinderwhisker's kits; trained as a moor-runner

**KITS:**

Cricketkit- tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with pale green eyes; Dustkit's littermate

Dustkit- light brown tabby tom with pale green eyes; Cricketkit's littermate

Graykit- dark gray, almost black, she-cat with blue eyes; Briarkit and Thrushkit's littermate

Briarkit- creamy brown she-cat with a white underbelly and amber eyes; Graykit and Thrushkit's littermate

Thrushkit- black-and-white she-cat with blue eyes; Graykit and Briarkit's littermate

**ELDERS:**

Shiningsun- very old bright ginger tom with blind green eyes; former leader; Sunblossom and Blazeheart's father; wqas a moor-runner

Stripedtail- dark gray tabby she-cat with black tabby stripes and green eyes; mother of Ripplepelt and Blackstripe; was a tunnler

Gorsepath- light brown tabby tom with amber eyes; crippled back leg, Daisywhisker's littermate; was a tunnler

**RIVERCLAN**

**LEADER:** Juniperstar- bright ginger-and-white she-cat with dark blue eyes; Streamheart's mate; Otterfang's littermate

**DEPUTY:** Shellclaw- white she-cat with green eyes; Whiterain, Cloudstep, and Blizzardheart's littermate

**MEDICINE CAT:** Mousespring- very small mousy brown she-cat with amber eyes; former kittypet

Apprentice, Clearpaw

**WARRIORS:**

Streamheart- large broad-shouldered silver tabby tom with green eyes; Juniperstar's mate; Watershine's littermate

Apprentice, Larkpaw

Watershine- silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes; mother of Larkpaw, Icepaw, and Clearpaw Blizzardheart's mate

Otterfang- white tom with gray splotches and dark blue eyes; father of Splashpelt; Juniperstar's littermate

Blizzardheart- huge white tom with blue eyes; father of Larkpaw, Icepaw, and Clearpaw, Watershine's mate; Shellclaw, Whiterain, and Cloudstep's littermate

Cloudstep- skinny white tom with blue eyes; father of Marigoldnose's kits; Shellclaw, Whiterain, and Blizzardheart's littermate

Splashpelt- white tom with blue-gray splotches and dark blue eyes

Pricklenose- tortoiseshell tom with green eyes; Marigoldnose and Maplefall's littermate

Apprentice, Icepaw

Maplefall- large golden-brown tabby tom with green eyes; Brindlefeather's mate; Pricklenose and Marigoldnose's littermate

Brindlefeather- pale gray she-cat with blue eyes; Maplefall's mate; Russetclaw and Mistbreeze's littermate

Russetclaw- large dark ginger tom with green eyes; father of Reedstream's kits; Brindlefeather and Mistbreeze's litermate

Mistbreeze- pale gray she-cat with blue eyes; Brindlefeather and Russetclaw's littermate

Brownbelly- large black tom with a brown underbelly and amber eyes; Reedstream and Tallbirch's littermate

Tallbirch- long-legged brown tabby tom with amber eyes; Applefall's mate; Reedstream and Brownbelly's littermate

Applefall- ginger-and-white she-cat with amber eyes; Tallbirch's mate

Crookedtail- large dark ginger tom with a bent tail and green eyes; father of Russetclaw, Brindlefeather, and Mistbreeze; Dawnheart's mate

Dawnheart- pretty pale gray she-cat with blue eyes; mother of Brindlefeather, Mistbreeze and Russetclaw; Crookedtail's mate

**APPRENTICES:**

Larkpaw- silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes; Icepaw and Clearpaw's littermate

Icepaw- large white tom with blue eyes; Larkpaw and Clearpaw's littermate

Clearpaw- white tom with blue eyes; Larkpaw and Icepaw's littermate

**QUEENS:**

Whiterain- small white she-cat with blue eyes; Blizzardheart, Shellclaw, and Cloudstep's littermate; mother of Tinykit

Marigoldnose- orange tabby she-cat with green eyes; mother of Cloudstep's kits; Pricklenose and Maplefall's littermate

Reedstream- black she-cat with a brown underbelly and amber eyes; mother of Russetclaw's kits; Tallbirch and Brownbelly's littermate

**KITS:**

Tinykit- very small white she-cat with blue eyes (1 moon old)

Fennelkit- tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes; Snowkit, Pikekit, and Pearkit's littermate

Snowkit- white tom with blue eyes; Fennelkit, Pikekit, and Pearkit's littermate

Pikekit- golden-brown tabby with amber eyes; Fennelkit, Snowkit, and Pearkit's littermate

Pearkit- golden-brown tabby with green eyes; Fennelkit, Snowkit, and Pikekit's littermate

Ravenkit- black she-cat with green eyes; Scorchkit and Waspkit's litttermate

Scorchkit- dark ginger tom with green eyes; Ravenkit and Waspkit's littermate

Waspkit- black tom with a brown underbelly and amber eyes; Ravenkit and Scorchkit's littermate

**ELDERS:**

Frozenwater- white she-cat with blue eyes; mother of Whiterain, Shellclaw, Cloudstep, and Blizzardheart

Bramblerose- dark ginger she-cat with dark blue eyes; mother of Juniperstar and Otterfang

Creekfeather- silver tabby tom; father of Watershine

**SKYCLAN**

**LEADER:** Hawkstar- huge dark brown tabby tom with a white muzzle, legs and tail-tip and amber eyes; father of Vinepool's kits

**DEPUTY:** Duskpool- black she-cat with dark blue eyes

**MEDICINE CAT:** Redwing- long-haired dark red tom with green eyes; Poppynose's littermate

**WARRIORS: **

Poppynose- long-haired dark red she-cat with a fluffy tail and green eyes; Redwing's littermate

Apprentice, Blossompaw

Chestnutfur- muscular reddish-brown tom with amber eyes; father of Jadewing's kits; Acornstem's littermate

Acornstem- dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes; father of Buzzardpaw, Mudpaw, and Foxpaw; Morningsun's mate; Chestnutfur's littermate

Morningsun- dark ginger she-cat with green eyes; mother of Buzzardpaw, Mudpaw, and Foxpaw; Toadleap and Rowanheart's's littermate

Apprentice, Nutpaw

Toadleap- large black-and-white tom with amber eyes; father of Nutpaw and Blossompaw; Flowerstem's mate

Apprentice, Buzzardpaw

Rowanheart- large dark ginger tom with green eyes; Morningsun and Toadleap's littermate

Flowerstem- white she-cat with tortoiseshell patches and blue eyes; mother of Nutpaw and Blossompaw, Toadleap's mate; Finchflight's littermate

Apprentice, Mudpaw

Finchflight- light gray tom with a white flash on his chest and blue eyes; father of Ivyclaw's kits; Flowerstem's littermate

Barkmoss- large dark brown tabby tom with green eyes; Ivyclaw and Beechfall's littermate

Beechfall- sandy brown tabby tom with amber eyes; Ivyclaw and Barkmoss's littermate

Apprentice, Foxpaw

Sageleaf- large pale gray tom with green eyes; Jadewing's littermate

**APPRENTICES:**

Buzzardpaw- dark ginger tom with green eyes; Mudpaw and Foxpaw's littermate

Mudpaw- dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes; Buzzardpaw and Foxpaw's littermate

Foxpaw- dark ginger tom with green eyes; Buzzardpaw and Mudpaw's littermate

Nutpaw- black-and-white she-cat with dark blue eyes; Flowerpaw's littermate

Blossompaw- white she-cat with tortoiseshell-and-black patches and dark blue eyes; Nutpaw's littermate

**QUEENS: **

Vinepool- silver tabby she-cat with dark green eyes; mother of Hickorykit, Cedarkit, and Leafkit; Hawkstar's mate

Jadewing- pale gray, almost white, she-cat with pale green eyes; mother of Mintkit and Falconkit, Chestnutfur's mate; Sageleaf's littermate

Ivyclaw- sandy brown tabby she-cat with green eyes; mother of Archkit and Rainkit; Finchflight's former mate; Barkmoss and Beechfall's littermate

**KITS:**

Hickorykit- dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes; four moons old; Cedarkit and Leafkit's littermate

Cedarkit- silver tabby tom with dark green eyes; four moons old; Hickorykit and Leafkit's littermate

Leafkit- silver tabby she-cat with dark green eyes; four moons old, Hickorykit and Cedarkit's littermate

Mintkit- pale gray, almost white, she-cat with pale green eyes; three moons old; Falconkit's littermate

Falconkit- pale gray, almost white, tom with pale green eyes; three moons old; Mintkit's littermate

Archkit- light gray tom with arching black stripes and blue eyes; five moons; Rainkit's littermate

Rainkit- light gray she-cat with blue eyes; five moons; Archkit's littermate

**ELDERS:**

Berrypool- dark red she-cat with green eyes; mother of Poppynose and Redwing

Hazefur- white-gray tom with thick fur and blind eyes; former medicine cat

**CATS OUTSIDE THE CLANS**

Shane- black purebred angora with green eyes; kittypet

Copper- dark ginger tom with green eyes; loner; lives in the barn

Ebonytail- black-and-white she-cat with amber eyes; loner; former WindClan cat; Copper's mate; mother of Patch, Clover, and Ember; Slatefur, Cinderwhisker, and Nightbird's littermate

Patch- black-and-white tom with amber eyes; longer; Clover and Rowan's littermate

Clover- dark ginger she-cat with green eyes; Patch and Rowan's littermate

Ember- dark ginger tom with green eyes; Patch and Clover's littermate

Cedric- light brown tabby tom with amber eyes; rogue, former kittypet

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: ****So yes, I finally think I've found a good enough plot to use for a warriors story. So here are the Allegiances. The prologue should be up in a few minutes. But yes, veeery important here. I will attempt to post weekly, every Saturday night hopefully. **


	2. Prologue

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own 'Warriors', and I do not claim to own the series. The series, and it's characters belong to the Hunters.**

**PROLOGUE**

The skies here are darker than the rest, further away, fading. Things here are only vague memories, nearly forgotten. Nothing seems real, everything opague and hazy and _so _close to they aren't quite there yet.

It's silent too, not even the sound of wind sweeping through this fading forest. It's all a haze, all of it half there. The silver of the forest and sky muted, only barely bright enough to shed any kind of light. This place seems untouchable, unalterable. And after all, who would want to.

The silence is broken by pawsteps, moving quickly. They are the only sound though, and even if they are muted they ring out here in this place. There aren't _meant _to be pawsteps here in this forgotten place, pushed away from the brighter, newer memories. And yet there are, moving with a purpose. The cat who appears is more solid than the are around her, and she looks totally out of place. Her thick blue-gray fur is laced with star-shine and has a silver sheen that cast more light than this whole place put together. Her blue eyes roam over the faded forest intently but she finds nothing. There's nothing for her to see.

"Hello?" Her voice echoes around her, the silence more defeaning than any sound she could make. She's not expecting an answer so she's surprised when she gets one.

"_You're a long way from the hunting grounds of StarClan, Bluestar of ThunderClan." _

The she-cat whips around, fur bristling as she looks about, searching for the cat that spoke. Finally her eyes focus enough to see the vague shape of the cat, standing there across from her. It's blue eyes are trained steadily on Bluestar, a vague sort of indifference gleaming there.

"Is this not StarClan as well?" Bluestar asked, gesture her tail to the area around them.

"_This is the forgotten place, for forgotten cats. It's not yet your time to come here."_

The cat spoke, and yet it's mouth didn't move. There was no scent coming from it either, and the cat seemed to flicker, and Bluestar found that she had to train her eyes intently on the figure to keep it from vanishing.

It's words struck Bluestar, rubbing her fur the wrong way. Was this cat insinuating that Bluestar would be forgotten? That she would become like this fading cat?

"Not my time. Are you saying that cats will forget me? Are you forgotten?"

"_Memories cannot live on forever, Bluestar of ThunderClan. Memories will fade and the past will be forgotten. Cats cannot remember and that is why history will always repeat itself."_

Bluestar stiffened at those words, staring at the cat with wide blue eyes while the cat stared back, tail flicking in an almost bored manner.

"I won't be-"

"_Even you cannot escape the inevitable. Neither you nor Firestar nor even the three. All will fade, and your time in this place will come."_

The cat cut Bluestar off abruptly, leaving her there staring, gaping like a fish. What did this cat mean? What could she possibly mean? Was she saying that even Firestar would fade. He had blazed a fire through the clans. Surely that fire could not be forgotten.

"Do you know why I'm here?" Bluestar asked finally, narrowing her eyes at the cat. Her pelt bristled with annoyance and she felt so out of place here, almost as if freezing cold water was trickling down her spine.

"_I know why you're here."_

The cat offered no more clarification than that, making Bluestar clench her jaw in annoyance. The cat paid no heed and kept staring at Bluestar unblinking, the same indifferent expression on its face.

"Why then?" Bluestar was already beginning to regret her journey to this place, and longed for nothing more than return to the familiar hunting grounds of StarClan where she could walk with her past clanmates, and look over her clan. But there were answers here, things she needed to know. And this cat seemed as good as any to answer them.

"_To find answers that have long been forgotten. But we remember them. That is our job." _The cat flicked its tail now, the movement hazy, and almost at once more cats appeared, flanking her. Their forms were just as hazy as hers, just as foggy and unreal.

"What do you remember?" Bluestar asked, her voice firm, her eyes desperate for the answers that she sought. She had to know.

"_That history always repeats itself."_

Bluestar gritted her teeth, glaring at the cat now, ignoring all the other ones. Was it being purposefully unhelpful?

"You already said that." She growled, anger glinting in her blue eyes.

"_I have,"_ the cat agreed, nodding its head. _"But it is the most important thing. This is not the first time the darkness has threatened to take over. And it won't be the last." _

The shock that Bluestar felt stiffened her, affecting her to the very core. Could she possibly be saying that the Dark Forest could rise to attack again, that they had done it before? It was impossible, some cat would have known about it. Some cat would have known what to do.

"That's impossible. The Dark Forest it gone forever, the cats sent back to the darkness." Bluestar said, her voice firm.

"_No." _The cat shook it's head again, emotion finally filtering into its eyes. Sadness. Enough sadness for a whole clan of cats was glimmering there in her endless blue eyes. _"It has happened before and it will happen again. The clans will forget. _They _will not."_

"They've done it before then? Attacked the clans? When?" The questions came out in a flurry, her voice desperate, and she ached for answers.

"_They have. Long before your time Bluestar, and there is nothing you could have done. You did not know. We do not blame cats for their ignorance to the past. We can only hope that they will remember more in the future."_

Bluestar's mouth went dry. The thought of the Dark Forest having always been a constant threat was terrifying. There would always be bad cats, there was no denying that. And they would always be sent to the Dark Forest that was assured. But to think that they would rise again…that was unthinkable.

"How do we stop it from happening again?" She asked, raising her chin and looking at the cat like the leader she was. And maybe she was imagining it but she could have sworn she saw a flicker of respect in the cats eyes, gone in an instant.

"_These things must be remembered. Events of the past hold information for the future. The clans must learn from their mistakes. The Dark Forest watches, and they have moons and moons to plan. They will always plan. They are infinitely patient and will wait forever if they must for the clans to forget. You must not let them."_

"Then I won't let them." Bluestar mewed firmly.

"_Not just this Bluestar. There are many other things that only we remember."_

"Then tell me." Bluestar urged, leaning forward slightly in anticipation.

The cat seemed to consider this for a moment as a ripple of surprise seemed to run through the other cats that had gathered.

"Then sit, Bluestar." The cat said this time, finally speaking, in a distinctly female voice. Her voice was soft, infinitely intelligent, and calm. "For our story is a long one and your paws will grow weary. We will start from the beginning. And pray to the ancestors far older than you that you may learn something from it."

As she watched the cat, a flicker of light seemed to run through her, going through those cats gathered around her as well. There seemed to be something shining in their eyes now that hadn't been there before.

Hope.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: There you have it, the prologue of my new story. I may or may not post the first chapter next Saturday. I'm not totally sure how I want to go about with my posting schedule. At any rate, this story takes place before the original series. The only canons mentioned will be in the prologue and the epilogue. This is going to be a trilogy I think. Next chapter will be how everything gets rolling, and I am very nearly done with it. Maybe you guys want to guess which cats are main characters? I don't know...but anyway, review!  
**


	3. Chapter One

**DISCLAIMER: **** I do not own 'Warriors'. The series belong to the hunters, but these character belong to me. Any names that are the same are purely coincidence.**

**CHAPTER ONE**

The ginger she-cat's prescence flickered there just at the edge of his subconcious as he fell into his dream, always patiently waiting to receive him with open paws. This time was no different as he felt the air shift around him, the scent of his den receding, shifting to the warm, familiar smell of StarClan. He loved his clan, but walking these hunting grounds in his dreams was like going home.

He opened his eyes to see a pair of glimmering green eyes. Her nose brushed his and he could hear her purr, rumbling from her center. Her eyes were always warm when she looked at him, always gentle and soft and loving and now was no different.

She was happy to see him.

And he was happy to see her, was always happy to see her. And he missed her more than he could ever explain.

"Hi there slow-slug." She mewed teasingly, her sweet breath enveloping him. "You've kept me waiting long enough."

She took a step back, her sleek muscles rippling under her pelt. And he stood, getting to his paws though his muscles despaired at the movement. He wasn't as young as he used to be.

"I wasn't aware that we had plans this time." He answered honestly, because that's all he could ever be with her. Honest.

These dreams he had, there was never any purpose to them really. He just missed her. Missed her and still loved her with every fibre of his being. And he wanted her back, wanted to smell her sweet scent surrounding him as he slept, and wanted to see the glow of pride in her green eyes as she watched their kits, now grown warriors, make lives for themselves within the clan. But it just wasn't meant to be. She had died seasons ago, when their kits were barely 'paws'. Maybe when he gave up his last life, when she came to receive him into StarClan, they would watch over their kits and grandkits together. But now wasn't the time. These dreams were exclusively for them.

Her emerald eyes filled with sadness and she ducked her head slightly, averting her eyes. Whatever she had to tell him wasn't good. She had always been like that, always capable of changing her emotions at the flick of a tail. But even then she had never been able to hide anything from him, and this wasn't good.

"I'm sorry." She said finally, raising her eyes to meet his. "I'm so sorry." She was pleading with him now, begging him not to hate her because of the news she brought him. But he could never hate her. She was the one cat that he had loved with ever ounce of his being. His love for her tingled within his bones, spreading to the tips of his paws and warming him, even now with whatever bad news she had.

"It's not your fault." He told her softly, because how could it be. How could anything bad be her fault? She was so good. So soft, and sweet and…just distinctly _good. _

She looked up at him then, eyes snapping up, green locking on blue. And he saw that yes, it wasn't her fault but she could do nothing to help. She was powerless to help her mate. And oh how badly he wanted to assure her otherwise. He wanted to beg her to reach out and envelop him, to take him with her at last. His time for living had come and went. He was old, too old to be leading a clan. And yet he continued living, continued guiding his clan as best he could in his old age.

"It's no cat's fault." She assured him, that sadness still bubbling in her green eyes. "No cat could have prevented it."

"What is it?" He asked, taking a step closer, his eyes soft and affectionate with his love for her. "Just tell me and I'll take care of it."

"Not you." She told him suddenly, her voice firm. "_You _can't. Only she can. It's your job to help prepare her."

She wasn't making sense now, but Stonestar had long ago learned that StarClan cats often didn't. With there infinite knowledge they often forgot that living cats _didn't _share the same knowledge. But usually when she spoke to him she was understandable in the way she had always been. Not now though. Her eyes were alight with desperation for him to understand. But how could he understand. He was leaving the fate of his clan, that StarClan had intrusted to hin, in another cat's paws.

"Who?" He asked finally but she shook her head.

"You'll figure it out." She told him. "Dark times are coming for the clans, Stonestar. And she is one of the only cats that can stop it."

And then his dream began to break apart, piece by piece and she faded away and he hovered for a moment, floating in the nothingness that was left with the recession of his dream.

"Lightcloud!" He called, his voice resounding around him, his desperation echoing in his ears. "Lightcloud!"

But then he was snapped back into his body and was woke with his voice still ringing in his ears.

**|X| |X| |X|**

This dream starts the same but ends different, ends with her being thrown from the dark place down into the middle of the river, the water surging around her, roaring in her ears. Her paws bat at the water uselessly but she is no RiverClan cat and she cannot swim. Her heart beats faster and faster, and if she didn't know better she would swear that it would burst right out of her chest. The water is wet and cold, freezing cold all around her, threatening to close in and crush her. And she would just as soon let it, for fear of sinking further into the dark, icy depths of the lake.

She had been in the shadowy forest again, creeping along as she always did, her belt brislting as it always had. She didn't like the forest, didn't belong there. And yet it seemed to always be where her dreams went.

This time had been no different. Like always she was stalking along the worn path through the forest. It had been used many times by many different cats judging by the scent all around her. It was dark here, was always dark. Shapes moved at the edge of her vision, there but everytime she looked flitting away and leaving only the vaguest of memories in their wake. And she hated it, hated not knowing where she was or what she was doing here. She had never been the type of cat to remember her dreams, but since she had been made an apprentice she seemed to always walk this place. She was never able to shake it away, no matter how much she wanted to.

This time though, a noice behind her made her spin around, quick on her paws, claws already unsheathed as she dropped instinctively into a defensive position. There was a huge tom standing before her now, looking at her with contempt in his amber eyes. Where her tortoiseshell fur stuck up, bristling with unease and agitation, his black-and-white fur reamained smooth and unruffled. He didn't like her being here. This was his place, his territory, and she was intruding.

But she didn't mean to. She didn't want to be here. She longed to be back somewhere that she knew, curled back up in her nest in the ShadowClan camp, or somewhere in the forest. Anywhere within the boundaries of the clans would be better than this dark place.

"Willowpaw." He dipped his head slightly, though the gesture was mocking and he held nothing but contempt for her in his eyes. His voice was deep, heavy with hundreds of untold secrets. And they were secrets that she found she had no desire to know.

She said nothing, her jaw clenched as she watched him, preparing for a fight. But his fur remained unruffled and the tom raised a paw to examine a claw, seemingly bored.

"Where am I?" She asked finally, her ears flat against her head, her discomfort evident. This wasn't how she normally was. Normally she was fierce, totally sure of herself and always adjusting to any situation. Being a warrior was about more than fighting. It was about surviving and that's what Willowpaw was in her very core. She was a survivor, had been born a survivor, would always be a survivor.

"Somewhere you _don't _belong." The tom growled, anger flitting through his eyes but they were gone in an instant. She didn't like this tom, she decided. He certainly looked strong, but there was something glimmering beneath the depths of his eyes, something dark and dangerous that made Willowpaw want to take a step back. This tom was huge, large than her by far. If it came down to a fight, she wasn't sure how well she would do. He was definitely muscular, definitely able to use the muscles in his legs to his advantage. And he would have had moons to fight, if the scars on his pelt had anything to say about it. She was only apprentice, had only been training for four moons. She might be able to hold her own for a little while but not for long. If it came down to a fight, she _would _fight of course. Willowpaw wasn't the type to run from danger. But something about this tom told her that, if he wanted to, he would kill her and feel no remorse for it.

"I suppose _you _do then?" She spoke the words mockingly, looking around at the dark, musty place. No cat should ever want to belong in this place. The darkness was thick and choking and threatened to close in. And her words made it obvious just how much contempt she had for this place and any cat who called it home. She was always like that. Always pushing others with her sarcasm and contempt. Others seemed to be used to it though, not this cat if his claws digging into the marshy ground beneath was any testament to that.

"Indeed." The cat said, his lip curling back in a snarl, though he didn't leap at her. He obviously had more patience than her. "You put your faith in the stars, this isn't your place to walk. This is my prison." He lowered himself into a crouch, muscles tense as his amber eyes locked on her and Willowpaw could tell his patience was running thin.

His words confused her. She put her faith in the stars? He could only mean StarClan by that. But of course every clan cat put their faith in StarClan. Since she was a kit, the belief in StarClan had been instilled in her. But the way this cat spoke made it seem like his faith _didn't _belong there. That something…made him stuck in this place.

"You must be a pretty mouse-brained cat if you did something to get yourself stuck here." She commented, more speaking her thoughts then directing it at him.

That was enough for the cat, who seemed to have had enough of her. He leapt, the movement quick and graceful despite his size. And it was all Willowpaw could do to brace herself before the tom collided with her, paws catching her shoulders and knocking her back. He crouched over her now, muzzle snarling and at her throat, his paws on either side of her head with the claws unsheathed.

"Careful what you say Willowpaw. I'm _not _very forgiving." With his words, he placed his paw on her chest, pressing slightlly, making her gasp for breath. And he kept pressing, her back sinking into the slimy cold ground beneath her.

Finally the tom removed his paw, taking a step back and looking at her triumpantly. And she kept sinking, her breath catching in her throat as she realized the ground around her was rising, bubbling up around her fur. And with each movement she made, with every strruggle the ground rose faster. She opened her mouth to let out a yowl, but the ground had already rose to high, surging around her muzzle, filling her mouth with the taste of dirt.

'_NO!'_ She couldn't help but think as the last thing she was was the tomcat looking at her with contempt in his eyes. Then the earth closed over her and she was sinking, sinking, sinking. Down, further into the earth's pull, her limbs frozen, unable to surge against the earth in an attempt to save her. She couldn't cry out for help and she couldn't do anything to save herself. She could only sink and sink and hope that this would all end soon. This was the worst feeling ever, this helplessness. Willowpaw had never been helpless in her life. And yet here she was, desperately hoping for an end to this torture. But she just kept sinking.

And then she was falling, the earth giving way from beneath her, and that is how she found herself crashing into the river, her paws finally able to fight against the water, but having no idea what to do. She thought the earth had been bad, but this was infinitely worse. She _could _do something here, and yet she had no idea _how _to do it. It left panic surging in her, and she wanted so badly to be safe on land, back where she belonged, curled up in her nest with her tail rested over her nose, sleeping dreamlessly.

Then she woke up.

She woke up forcing her eyes open and leaping to her paws, moss clinging to her pelt. It was dark inside the apprentice den, and her denmates slept on, unaware of her nightmares.

Willowpaw's heart was still beating rapidly in her chest, threatening to burst from the confines of her body. And almost self-conciously she bent forward to lick at her chest fur, bidding her heart to slow, hoping for the finaly dregs of her nightmare to slip away, to leave her in peace so she could at least try to sleep before morning came.

But that just wasn't going to happen, she knew. Sleep would be impossible now with the threat of returning to that dark place hanging over her head. Her nose curled at the thought and she stretched, uncoiling her bunched muzzle before looking around her. Her nest, or what was left of it, was a mess. She certainly hadn't been sleeping peacefully.

She scraped together what remained of her nest with a sigh, deciding she would fetch some new moss for it after the sun rose. Now though there was only so much she could do with her clanmates sleeping peacefully in their den. She padded to the entrance of the apprentice den and sat, her tail wrapped neatly around her paws as she examined the camp. She had been born here, had grown up here. This was her home, the only home she had ever known and she loved it. She would never want to live anywhere but here. And she would protect her home, and her clanmates, with her last breath of life. And so the feeling that it was in danger left her fur prickling and her eyes scanned the center of camp, as if searching for the threat.

A flicker of movement from the corner of her eyes made her leap to her paws, claws unsheathing and digging into the ground, the paranoia from her dream keeping her on edge. She relaxed though when she saw Stonestar emerging from his den, looking impossibly tired. His eyes locked on hers and he tilted his head to the side, as is asking why she was up.

Willowpaw shrugged slightly, unsure of what other action she could give in response. She hadn't spoken much to her leader, he was far to busy leading the clan to make idle chat with the apprentices. He was old too, and if he wasn't speaking with senior warriors or going on patrol or going to the gathering then Honeybreeze had him in her den, doing whatever it is medicine cats did to help old cats.

He had been a good leader in his prime. He was still a good leader, even though his life was drawing to a close and he couldn't do the things that younger cats could do. He had been the leader since long before Willowpaw and her littermates had been born, and it was hard to imagine any other cat leading ShadowClan. But, when the time came, every cat was sure that Rockclaw would make a good leader.

'_He'll keep the clan safe until I can become leader.' _Willowpaw couldn't help but think. That was often where her thoughts went, to the future. She had been training for four moons, and was only moons away from becoming a warrior. After that she only had to train an apprentice and then she would be able to become deputy.

"Couldn't sleep Willowpaw?" She looked up as Stonestar approached, his paws silent against the earth. He sat down only a tail-length away, the moonlight casting his pale gray fur in a silver light.

"I guess I was just restless, Stonestar." The lie flowed from her mouth smoothly, because she was afraid that if she told him about her horrible nightmare he would lose any sort of respect for her. Nightmares were dreams, nothing more. And brave cats didn't get scared of dreams. It wasn't as if it were a dream sent by StarClan, so then why did it matter?

"So was I." He said with a nod, tilting his head back and looking up at the dark sky above, the stars of Silverpelt glimmering in the inky blackness.

Willowpaw followed his gaze, eyes settling on the familiar swath of stars that were their warrior ancestors. The clans had followed StarClan's word for as long as any cat could remember. They were the ones that gave medicine cats propecies and they were the ones who granted leaders their nine lives. Stonestar himself conversed with them in dreams. Every clan leader was close to StarClan, they had to be. StarClan helped to guide them, just as the clan leaders guided their clanmates.

"StarClan is getting restless." Stonestar said, half to himself and Willowpaw couldn't help but look over at him in slight surprise. Of course he would know that, but that just didn't seem like something to say in front of an apprentice. And yet there Stonestar sat with her, as if she were an important cat. And she would be one day, she just wasn't quite there yet.

"It is?" She couldn't stop herself from asking the question, couldn't stop herself from glancing over at Stonestar while he gazed up at the stars.

"A storm is going to break soon." Stonestar continued as if she wasn't even there. "Things have been peaceful for too long."

That was true. Things had been peaceful. There had been no border skirmishes and no reason for the clans to be hostile towards each other. But it was also Greenleaf. The clans were thriving, and there was plenty of prey for all of them. These were easy times, meant for the clans to get ready for Leafbare.

"That's a good thing, isn't it?" Surely it must have been. While the clans learned fighting skills, if they didn't ever have to use them it meant that no cats would get injured or die.

"It is." Stonestar gave a slight nod. "But it can't last." He sounded so sure of his words that Willowpaw didn't dare question him. He had lived far longer, he knew a lot more than she did, as much as she hated to admit it. "The clans will always be at odds."

Willowpaw couldn't help but frown slightly at that. Of course she knew that, had known it since she was a kit when they elders told stories of the danger of the other clans. Of the trouble that had always occurred.

"It's the warriors job to defend their clans from enemies. That includes enemy warriors. That's how it's always been. Any trouble from the other clans, we can handle it."

Stonestar shook his head slightly before looking at her. "I fear the danger may not be from the other clans." He said, his words sending a jolt through Willowpaw, reminding her of her dream. And she opened her mouth to tell him about her dream when he rose to his paws, turning to walk away.

"The sun will be rising soon. I'd try to get to sleep if I were you Willowpaw." He told her as he walked away.

**|X| |X| |X|**

With all her might, Willowpaw reared back, her shoulders connecting with her opponents chest, making him back off slightly as she whipped around lithely, lashing out at the other cat as soon as she saw him, her paw making contact with the side of his head. Quick as a snake she dropped down just as the tom swiped at her, his large paw whistling harmlessly over her head.

The tom may have been bigger than her, but Willowpaw was small and fast and clever. In her dreams, against giant imaginary cats she might not have been a threat, but she was in the waking world.

She slid forward, dashing between the tom's forlegs before coming crashing up, her back connecting with the toms soft underbelly. A loud yowl of surprise echoed around the clearing, and Willowpaw backed away in time to see the tom swing to face her, amber eyes filled with anger and embarassment.

"You did know that was battle training right?" Willowpaw couldn't help but ask, tilting her head to the side as if she was genuinely asking the questiong.

"Of course!" The tom growled, his long tabby striped tail lashing.

"Funny, considering you were just fighting like a kit." She responded, not missing a beat. She wrapped her tail neatly around her paws, watching the tom boredly as he hissed at her.

"Enough Birchpaw! A true warrior accepts defeat graciously." The tom turned, tilting his head up to look at his mentor, Longfur, as he approached from where he had been watching from the other side of the clearing, Willowpaw's own mentor, Squirreltail, following only a tail-length behind.

"And as for you, Willowpaw, you shouldn't antagonize him. It was practice, it's meant to help you get better." Though Squirreltail was reprimanding her, it was difficult to take the she-cat serious, especially since Willowpaw knew she must have been so proud of how well Willowpaw had done. Willowpaw had never particularly had the patience to be a good hunter, but with her slender, lithe build and her natural cleverness, she was a good fighter.

Willowpaw was getting better in her training every day, something she took great pride it. She would be the greatest leader ShadowClan had ever seen, but to get there she would have to receive good training from an equally as good mentor. And Willowpaw couldn't think of any other cat she'd rather teach her than Squirreltail.

"Now Birchpaw, where did you go wrong?" Longfur was quizzing his apprentice, his eyes trained on Birchpaw as the young cat thought back to the training session.

"I…uh…"

"You fought Willowpaw as if she were a larger cat. She's small enough that she doesn't have to depend on strength to win a fight. If you had gotten her then you could have overpowered her but-"

"But I have no chance of doing that when she's as slippery as a fish." Birchpaw cut in, before shrinking slightly under Longfur's slight glare.

"Then you'll have to outsmart her." Longfur told him immediately, his voice firm.

"Good luck with that mousebrain." Willowpaw couldn't help but sneer, causing Birchpaw to whip around to face her once more.

"Are you calling me stupid." He hissed, making Willowpaw blink innocently.

"Of course not." She told him. "You _are _stupid, but those aren't the words I used."

"Willowpaw." Squirreltail reprimanded, flicking the younger she-cat on the shoulder with her tail. "Didn't I just tell you not to antagonize him?"

"I wasn't antagonizing him. I was only telling him the truth. He deserves to know." Willowpaw glanced over her shoulder at Squirreltail who didn't look at all amused with the she-cat's antics. She sighed, shaking her head slightly.

"Apologize." She instructed, gesturing to Birchpaw.

Willowpaw couldn't help but roll her eyes at that. Birchpaw _was _a mousebrain, there was no denying that. He followed his father around blindly, as if he were Shadowstar incarnate, and any cat who did that was stupid in her eyes. A cat was supposed to make themselves the best warrior they could be, not try to be just like some other cat. And if Birchpaw couldn't see that then she was keen to point out his stupidity whenever she could.

"I'm sorry you're such an idiot." She told him, causing his lips to curl back in a snarl. And Willowpaw stood there undaunted, her blue eyes bored.

"Squirreltail, you let your apprentice behave like this?" Thickfur looked up at Squirreltail, his amber eyes glimmering with annoyance.

"My apprentice should know better, but to reinforce it in her mind, she will be cleaning out the nursery when we return to camp." Squirreltail's voice was firm, and it was obvious that no amount of arguing from Willowpaw could get her to change her mind. Of course, Willowpaw was used to this. Her bad temper and brutal honesty often caused her to get punished. And no matter how unfair it may have been, she took the punishments quietly.

It didn't stop her from rolling her eyes though, and exagerrated sigh escaping her mouth.

"Willowpaw," Squirreltail sighed, shaking her head once more, her exasperation evident. "Come on, we're going back to camp _now._"

Willowpaw's head shot up at that, her eyes locking on her mentor as the tabby she-cat turned in the direction of camp.

"You said we were going to train today!" She hissed, her long tail lashing.

"Only apprentices get to train," Squirreltail told her. "And until you star acting like one, you can get used to tending to the queens and taking care of Lionfur."

Now _that _was unfair. Hadn't Willowpaw proven that she was a fully capable apprentice. She had beat Birchpaw in battle training, and he was a huge, muscular cat. Despite the fact that she was older than he was, Birchpaw was much larger that Willowpaw, his muscles already firm. Surely her fighting abilities were testament to the kind of apprentice she was.

"Isn't it more important to train me as a warrior?" Willowpaw couldn't help but ask, her eyes narrowed.

"Yes." Squirreltail answered, not missing a beat. "But apprentices have to learn discipline. And you have none."

Willowpaw couldn't help but sneer at that. She had plenty of discipline, no matter what other cats may think about her. Still, when Squirreltail's mind was made up there was no arguing with her. Resigned to the fact that she would be spending the rest of her day caring for the elders, Willowpaw started after Squirreltail, her anger at the situation evident in her eyes and in the lashing of her tail.

"Have fun cleaning out the nursery Willow_kit_!" Birchpaw called after them.

**Author's Note:**

**So there you have it! You get to meet Willowpaw who is one of our main characters. Next chapter will feature our ThunderClan main character, so keep an out for that. Anyway, tell me what you think of Willowpaw maybe? I think I'm more fond of Stonestar then I thought I would be. He's a fun cat to write. Anyway review's make me happy!**


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